


Sugar, Sugar.

by the-canary (siruru)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Alternate Universe - Photographer, Developing Relationship, F/M, Feelings Realization, Jealousy, Light Angst, London, Love Confessions, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Party, Reader-Insert, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension, inspired by Movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-11 20:07:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19933753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siruru/pseuds/the-canary
Summary: Babe, you got a killer smile! And though you might have lost it along the the way, a certain photographer is trying to finally set that straight.





	1. everybody wants you, baby.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: “Me? I’m scared of everything! I’m scared of what I saw. I’m scared of what I did, of who I am. And most of all, I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life…. the way I feel when I’m with you!”
> 
> This is for @interestedbystanderwrites writing challenge. Obviously someone watched Funny Face a few days back! This isn’t exactly like the movie. I took liberties here and there, but I hope you enjoy it either way. Second part will be out tomorrow, but it just got too long ;A;

“I think you would be perfect for it,” Sam yells through the large bookstore. He can see a puff of hair peeking through a stake near the back, “Your big comeback!”

“I don’t need a comeback, Sam,” a disgruntled voice answers back. A woman manages to find her way through the chaos of the bookstore, “I’m perfectly fine where I am.” 

Sam lets out a sigh before letting her win this round, but he knew better than that. He knew that she looked that the magazines stands from time to time. She wore her best most of the time and practiced with a book on top of her head whenever she was alone.   
  


There was a lot of stuff that she missed, but she wouldn’t let herself accept it. There was still a strong hurt and loss that came with thinking about those days. So, instead Sam has to go about this another way. 

He has to have the magazine find her instead. He thinks as he goes back to fixing the mess is the little bookstore she tends to hide herself in. 

* * *

_Q MAGAZINE IS LOOKING FOR TODAY’S MODERN WOMAN!_

Natasha at the horrible ad that she thought would be a good idea. A last minute call of desperation after the last issue tanked in sales. But, it certainly wasn’t enough that she was fighting against digital media and instagram influencers nowadays. But the upscale and high end clothing and articles that once made the magazine a staple were now dragging them down, as minimalism and simple clothing choices were making a comeback. In her ten years as editor, she wasn’t quite so sure what to do. 

She had sent out the private call to all modeling agencies within the city and while they had brought in their best. Natasha just wasn’t quite so sure anymore, none of them sparked anything within them. 

However, she was also faced with another problem

“Turn to the left,” states a male voice in the back of the studio office that Nat was currently. It’s followed by a light giggle, “Yeah, just like that.” 

  
Nat let out an annoyed sigh at the sight of her best photographer making the newest (failed) model pose for him. However, she couldn’t blame James for making them fall so easily. He loved beautiful things and was honest with what he told them. He made inner beauty shine with a smile and honest comment, something that you obviously didn’t find these days in New York. If only he could use that charm to find the perfect woman for their newest campaign. 

She could only hope for a miracle.

That’s when Sam Wilson decides to burst through the door at that exact moment as well. 

“What are you doing here?” she can’t help but ask since he should be on assignment in Los Angeles. She frowns as the man keeps smiling, silent until he reaches her desk. 

“I think you would be happier to see me,” Sam pouted for a second before kissing Nat on the cheek, “Plus, I have the solution to all your problems.” 

  
“Really?” Nat can’t help the skeptical tone sipping into her voice in the end. 

Sam just grins as he proceeds to show her the location of a certain bookshop, all the while Bucky and the model watch afar. 

* * *

It all starts under a pretense because while Natasha could easily send for someone to find the gal that Sam was talking about. This would be a sort of more “chance meeting” thing. 

Nat plays her part well enough. The overbearing editor that doesn’t let you put a word into the conversation, as she brings in her models and trashes the poor little bookstore for a failure of a photo shoot. She can’t help but grin when she sees you frown before they throw you out completely. 

She moves for a second, yelling at the model to move with her, and she catches Bucky watching move out of the room. He keeps glancing every now and then to where you are watching them from the glass display. 

Natasha didn’t expect that Bucky would be playing a part of this as well. She laughs and shakes her head before moving forward with the rest of her and Sam’s plan. 

* * *

> _“Well, you sir, have a great lack of empathy,” the bookkeeper remarks. She watches this Bucky try to move about trying to fix them, “Is that what you think of all your models? Just good for nothing, airheads for your next meal.”_
> 
> _“It’s not like they don’t know,” Bucky shrugs as he leans into the bookshelf, “It’s a mutual, beneficiary relationship. What you want sometimes gets in the way of what you really need, so you have to make compromises.”_
> 
> _Bucky can’t help but chuckle a little at the look of horror on her face and as he leans in to kiss her –like he would do with any other angry model– only to be met with a book smacking his lips._

Bucky laughs at the memory as he waits for the film to develop. Yes, most of the photo shoot had been done with a digital camera, but there was somethings that could only be captured with older cameras and film. However, through all went down a few days ago, he isn’t sure why he keeps going through that one moment over and over again. 

He figures it out a little later, as he stares at the picture that he had taken of the store owner. Her face quirked with anger, but there is a fire there that Bucky was sure he had never seen before. 

“She would be perfect,” he remarks to himself, before running out the room and going to find Natasha. 

* * *

However, neither Natasha nor Bucky know how to get her there after their disastrous interactions with her. But, they don’t know of two things since they had left: 

One was that the idea and memories hadn’t left the bookstore owner since they had destroyed her little shop. 

“I just can’t believe it,” she keeps going on and on, while cleaning. Sam gives a little shake of his head, “More than a decade and nothing has changed.” 

The second one was that of Sam Wilson–

> “ _Why don’t you show them then?” he can’t help but ask with a sly smile. She pauses and looks at him agasp for a moment before looking around her still in disrepair shop._
> 
> _“You’ll get to put it in their face,” Sam keeps on explains as she gets closer to him, “And you get some money for the shop and yourself.”_
> 
> _“Do you really think I could do it all over again?” she asks a bit lost and confused. Sam and her had only been children on the cusp of fame when they met, but the choices of their caretakers and guardians led them on different paths. She was still feeling the aftermath, as she frowns._
> 
> _“You know how the game is played,” Sam answers back, “I’m sure you got the heads up against the rest of those girls they are looking for their new photo shoot.”_
> 
> _“New photo shoot?”_

–and how he knows how to work miracles, as he leads her into their corporate office early next week.

* * *

> _“Come on, Sugar,” you remember an editor from back in your younger days, “Smile more!”_
> 
> _You also remember getting pushed into the back after almost punching the man.  
> _ _  
>  _

However, right off the start, you can tell that there is something different about Natasha. Even though she only seems a few years older than you, there is something that commands everyone to look at her when she enters the room. She certainly demands everyone’s respect at the same time, but the red-head also knows when to step back as well.

“There clothes were made for you,” she declares while pulling on the blouse you are currently wearing, “Show us anything and everything you have, Ms. Modern.” 

She spins you around and though you frown for a second, Natasha never reprimands you or says anything about. It’s scary and relieving at the same time that you can’t help but smile and laugh a little.

* * *

However, Bucky –as he liked to be called instead of James– is a different story. As you arrive to London for the central part of the photo shoot, Bucky is running and showing you pictures of where he wants to take you and how you’re going to be dressed. Slowly but surely, each becomes a little story of their own. 

That’s what leads to the two of you sitting on a couch in the lobby of the hotel that you are currently staying in. Between getting fitted and Bucky dragging you around to prospect locations, there wasn’t much time for you to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city you hadn’t been in quite some time. 

“So, a jilted lover,” you breathe out watching Bucky connect an old train station with a dark dress, “Is that what you think of as modern?” 

“Update the story and it can be,” he answers back as you keep growing. Bucky thinks for a moment, playing with his camera before he starts talking once more. 

“If there isn’t a story there,” he turns to look at you with those bright blues of his, “How are you going to react?” 

“What do you mean?” you asks, pretending not to know what he means. But, in actuality, you had done it a million times before – pretended and delved into stories to escape your current reality. Maybe, Bucky knew that too, maybe he did it all the time as well. 

“Pictures aren’t just things to be taken,” he responses with a crooked smile, like he knows he’s caught you in a lie, “There stories people want to lose themselves in. To be part of a fantasy for a little while or remember something they once had. But, pictures always say something.”   
  


“You think about this a lot, don’t you?” 

“I love doing this,” Bucky lets out with an awkward chuckle, “Why would I ever stop thinking about how to improve myself or my craft?” 

“You’re an awful workaholic, Bucky Barnes,” you let out with laugh that Bucky ends up thinking about for a long time afterwards.

* * *

Natasha wonders if she is the first one to notice it – the longing stares and late night talks. It wasn’t the first time that Bucky had fallen for a model or visa-versa, but something felt different about this time around. 

A jilted lover near Central London. Dancing in a yellow dress with balloons near Big Ben. Crying in a white satin blouse and dark pants in a closed off train station. 

_It’s too good to be true,_ Nat can’t help but think as she watches the next section of the photo shoot near a certain famous foundation not that far away from Westminster. She smiling like she owns the world and Bucky looks like he’s ready to give to her. 

“Sugar–” he starts off, though she isn’t glaring at him as hard this time over the nickname. Though, she stops him before he says anything else. 

“Pretend he’s Prince Charming, right?” she answers back while looking at the dove, while wearing a pretty satin dress, “Kiss him to make him fall in love with me.” 

Bucky can’t help but laugh as he starts taking photos again. Nat can’t help but shake her head at the lovey-dovey aura in the air, though hoping that it really was too good to be true. 

* * *

But, there are things that aren’t supposed to last forever – you and Bucky both know this. 

There’s glance and giggle from a model that seemed to know Bucky a little too well from before. There’s you spending a little too much time in the cafe downstairs talking about philosophers and old tragedies with the blue-eyed barista than Bucky felt comfortable with. 

They were old fears, but neither of you could voice them out properly. Thus, it ended up in a screaming match on the night before you were supposed case the fruits of your labor. Everyone that was anyone in the fashion world was going to be there. 

“I’m sorry if I feel empathy for others and liking talking about books,” you run off, pushing clothes here and there from your bed, “Some people enjoy taking the time–”

Bucky isn’t sure why, but at the thought of you sharing those thoughts with someone else. He breaks. 

“At least, she isn’t dried up and bitter!” Bucky yells back before he can even think about. 

You stare at him with wide eyes, as Bucky realize what he has said. He tries to get closer, but you’re already pushing him out. 

“Wait–I’m–” 

_“GET OUT!”_

You scream it like you’ve burned yourself in the worst possible way before shutting the door on him. Bucky just stands there unsure of what to do and how to take it all back. 

* * *

Bucky tries his hardest to be professional with a whole in his heart and an empty stomach. And though he knows that he has done worse, made people suffer more than he had with you – this was some of the worst pain that he had left in a long time – and all for what? **  
**

Petty jealous and being afraid that you could and would leave me.

Bucky knew who you were from the very beginning (how wouldn’t remember your rise and fall?), but he denied that anything would come of knowing you. Now, look at him – utterly and completely in love of a star in the making once more.

_He could try to be professional._

“Where the hell is she, Barnes?” Nat questions him as soon as he enters the salon. By the look of his face, her question quickly turns into: “What the hell did you do, James?” 

They look around everywhere. 

But, you’re nowhere to be found. 


	2. but, you're just for me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> made some edits to the quote, which is in bold.

There are just some things that you have to admit to yourself in the long run. **  
**

Deep down, you know that you love modeling and it’s probably for all the reasons Bucky had talked about as well – the clothing, the stories, the potential for it to be something more had always attracted your attention. However, the problem was clearly you.

There was always something wrong with you – too thin, too tall, too short. People always listed off a hundred reasons why they didn’t want you and whatever money you did manage to get… well, you never saw a penny off it. 

You were a flavor of the month until you weren’t needed anymore and as much as your struggled and hated yourself for it – you still loved fashion and all that came it. And as a result, you did the best you could to keep it in your life in little ways. 

A dress here, magazine there. Somehow, managing to befriend Sam and getting to see all his exclusives firsts, but even now the story was still the same. 

_“At least, she isn’t dried up and bitter!”_

You’re old news that none is ever going to what to look into. People like you don’t have a comeback story in the second half of their life, and you had just wished you had stayed in your old book shop like you were supposed to. 

Instead, you’re trying your hardest to hold back the tears as you take what little you brought and try to head to the States. 

It would be easier to forget all about this and him, eventually anyways. 

* * *

Natasha doesn’t take the news of you leaving in the best way, because she thought everything was perfect – the clothing, the location, the story, her! **  
**

There was only one rock that made the clock of her new editorial stop ticking and was starting right at her. Disheveled hair and sad blue eyes are a familiar story her, but not the smell of alcohol on him nor the whimpering tone of how he says her name in the aftermath of it all.

So, she screams in her best commanding voice which reverberates within the tiny hotel. Her secretaries that searching anywhere that they remotely think is related to her. Sam is already at the end of the other line, caught between talking to her and trying to call you. All that is missing is one final piece, as glaring green eyes looked at the man before her. 

“Fix yourself and comb through all the places she has been near here,” Natasha all gut glowers at the man as he shakes his head in affirmation. 

Years ago, she might have laughed at the thought of Bucky in love, but at the sight of him and all that she might lose–

_Barnes_ ,” she states like hell hath no fury but her own, “If we can’t find her before tonight, I’ll make sure you never work anywhere else ever again.” 

Blue eyes widen, driving him out of his pity party as he leaves the room. They both know she isn’t just saying this for the magazine, but for a certain heart as well. 

Thus, Natasha starts calling in some heavy favors to find her lost model. 

* * *

_**SAMMY:** Hey, where are you? _

_**SAMMY:** ARE YOU REALLY GONNA THROW THIS AWAY? When you’re so close…_

_**SAMMY:** Hey…I know you’re stronger than this. _

All messages have been left on read. 

* * *

It’s been five hours since that first meeting. Since he had showered and shaved, Bucky had been looking through three for her. He had gone back to the all the shooting sights and areas were they had just hung out together during their time in London, but no such luck. **  
**

The only thing stopping him from thinking that she hadn’t already left the country is that Nat or even Sam would have called him with the news. So, he had to keep looking. He had to try to fix this.

Near the fourth hour and when he finally decides that there is only one lead he hasn’t exhausted as much as he hates to admit. 

It had been the cause of your whole fight to begin with, but he had nowhere else to go. Bucky walks to the corner cafe and he glances through the window to make sure that a certain blond is there, which he is. 

Bucky can only let out an annoyed sigh as he pushes the door open.

* * *

_“Have you tried checking out the London Library?” the blond asks during his break, as Bucky frowns, “She’s been meaning to go there.”_

He doesn’t want to than the skinny no-good barista, but Bucky silently does when he sees that you are sitting on the stairs of said library not that far away from the hotel. You are sitting with a little rolling suitcase at your side and a book in front of your face. To be completely honest it’s the loveliest he’s seen you because you’re still here. 

You might be angry or feeling completely empty, but you were the sweetest thing he knew in a long time. In his complete loss of you, he ends up murmuring your name rather loudly, which causes you to look up with a startled look on your face. You get and stand on the stairs, ready to move as he gets closer to you. 

“Wait,” he lets out breathlessly as you glare at him, “Please, just give me a minute.” 

You don’t say anything, but look at him with those eyes that he saw in that jilted lover shot. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things. They weren’t–”

“No,” you stop him. Blue eyes look at you with a question, “You might have been right about some things. I took this job for a reason–”

“What do you mean?”

“I wanted to prove to myself that I could still do this,” you remark with your voice colder than he had ever heard it, “I know I can still do this. It’s just that things got in the way.”

Bucky lets out a little chuckle: “Me? I got in the way?”

You don’t say anything as Bucky gets close and into your personal space before adding in: “Have you ever thought that you’re just afraid of the rest of the world?” 

_“Me?”_ your voice cracks lightly, **“I’m scared of everything. I’m scared of what I saw. I’m scared of what I’ve done, of who I am. And most of all, I’m scared of walking out of this and never feeling how I do here for the rest of my whole life–”**

**About the way I feel when I’m with you!**

However, the last part of everything you have been meaning to say doesn’t leave your lips, as you simply pick up your suitcase before turning back towards the general location of the hotel without another word. 

Bucky just stands here dumbstruck at everything you had admitted before following you, wishing that you had just hit him with a book instead. 

* * *

“I’m sorry,” is what Natasha hears come out her mouth when she comes back – shoulders drawn back and a weary smile on her face. Bucky is hot on her heels, but the air that used to be around –of shy, budding lovers– is gone, “It won’t happen again.” 

The aura around her is to familiar and Nat can’t help but frown, because this isn’t how she wanted her star to be like – cold and distant is too familiar to the rest of the fashion world. However, she can understand the use for it as well, especially when it came to someone like James. 

“It’s all right,” she remarks with a nod, “Just don’t let it happen again.” 

Her starlet nods shyly for a moment, as hope rises in Nat’s chest for just a moment. 

She’s still in there and as Nat and Bucky share a look, they both realize that they have to bring her back. Not just for the rest of the shoot, but because they both love her that way as well. 

* * *

Two days and nights of re-shoots to make sure everything is ready for the rescheduled opening night. While, it wasn’t the best thing to do in the long run, it was best to be late rather than sorry. It’s the two of you and the rest of the little crew running around London in utter silence, as the two of you barely talk anymore. **  
**

“Make her look sad,” Bucky states while playing with the camera, as the make-up artist walks over to you, “Put some tears in her eyes.”

“There’s already tears in her eyes,”the man yells back as Bucky looks up. You don’t say anything.

“You’re certainly the actress, aren’t you?” Bucky lets out without any feeling.

Your eyes met his as you simply shrug before wiping the tears away. You turn back to the makeup artist without another word. 

* * *

Utter silence is what Natasha is met with when she enters the little dress up room in the back of the gallery where they will finally be showcasing all their work. However, while she should be happy and proud of everything that they had accomplished in such a short amount of time, but instead one half of her dream team was unresponsive and the other was missing. 

“You know,” Nat starts off as she looked at her through the mirror, “When Sam suggested you, I was sure he was trying to make a joke.” 

She frowns for a moment, though it quickly fell back to its blank countenance. Nat kept talking: “But, here you and James proved me wrong.” 

She stays quiet, as Natasha keeps talking as their eyes meet for a second: “I’m not saying that he was right in whatever he said to you that night. But, in the world of fashion… in the world you want to belong, he’s always going to be your greatest advocate.” 

“Why would you say that?” 

“Maybe you should ask him instead,” Nat says mysteriously before leaving her alone in the room to think.

* * *

Bucky wasn’t sure what he was doing anymore. He was halfway between staying and going back to New York. His work was done and he wasn’t really needed in the reception, though it was better if he was.

“It would also be better if you apologized,” someone answered out loud as Bucky turned to see a familiar smiling face, which only caused him to frown.

“I didn’t know I was asking for advice,” Bucky remarks as Sam laughs.

“You are when you’re talking to yourself in the middle of the hallway, Jack Nicholson,” Sam answers back, as he walks over to the clearly distressed man. 

“What do you want, Sam?” 

“I came to stop you from making the biggest mistake in your life,” Sam states as a matter of fact as Bucky simply groans, “Because whether you know it or not, you’ve made that gal the happiest she’s been in a very long and lonely time.” 

Blue eyes turn to meet serious brown ones, as Bucky can’t help but wonder what had happened to her after the limelight stopped shining on her and even though he was still being stupid and angry – Bucky wanted to know what he could do to change all that. 

* * *

You see him in the back where the dimmer lights are located once the event starts and while you should be focused on looking straight ahead, all you’re really doing is looking at him. It was stupid and childish to fight over such things, but you also have to talk about them as well. **  
**

However, the two of you are stuck making rounds and connections until later in the night. It isn’t until close to midnight and thanks to a certain pair that you are able to see each other in a small side patio. Though everything that you wanted to say is immediately thrown out the window, as you stand there awkwardly for a good couple of minutes. Until–

_“I’m sorry!”_

Is a thing that you both say at the exact same time, but you –in your never ending anxiety and nervousness– manage to move forward with your stuttering speech. 

“I know, I have no right to be jealous or anything like that,” you start off as Bucky watches you shine underneath the little fairy lights, “And yes, all that I have done might seem petty to prove a point–”

“Prove what?” Bucky can’t help but ask, both curious and seething if what Sam had told him was true. 

“That I can do anything I want,” you answer as if admitting defeat, “Despite my funny face.” 

_“Oh sugar, you’re a star,”_ Bucky remarks with a smile as he caresses your cheek, “I won’t let anyone tell you less. And I’m sorry too. I was stuck between wanting to show the rest of the world and tryin’ to keep you to myself. It was childish, but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” 

“I can…understand that,” you answers back shyly that it makes Bucky want to laugh at how quickly your attitude can change. Instead, he leans in until there is no space between the two of you. 

“Maybe, we should take some time off after all this,” he lets out hopefully – that you’ll take this step with him, “Get to know each other outside of the whole glitz and glamour thing.” 

“I would like that,” is all you say before pressing yourself closer to him and kissing him softly on the lips. 

Bucky leans in and returns the gesture pliantly. 

And in the shining stars, both up above and down below, the two of you have found something else worth more than all the stories that you could come up with both behind and in front of the camera. 

And the fashion world – well, they could wait for now. 


End file.
